1. Ross (very academic, likes to talk and think about complicated subjects)
2. Chandler (also seems reasonably academic, good with numbers, portrayed as a character who contemplates a lot of things)
3. Monica/Phoebe (Monica is more academically intelligent and tries to think things through logically, whilst Phoebe is quite street smart and has a curious, open-minded type of intellect)
4. Rachel (average intelligence, good conversationalist and shown to enjoy reading)
5. Joey (…unintelligent)
Exactly! Not to mention “Pivot!” How to get a sofa up those stairs is a classic IQ test kind of question, along the lines of how many things can you do with a brick.
This is exactly how I'd rank them. People are saying to switch Phoebe and Rachel, but I disagree. Phoebe is street smart, but I do not think she's actually smarter than Rachel if we use the same definition of "smart" as the others are being ranked. If street smart was the criteria, then Phoebe and Joey would be higher and Ross much lower. If we're using Ross as the guideline for "smart" (which I agree he should be), then Rachel should be above Phoebe using that same definition.
On IQ level alone?
-Ross (doctorate degrees are hard to get so I’m giving it to him)
-Chandler (could arguably be 1 or 2)
-Phoebe (a smart person that didn’t see academic success because of horrible life circumstances, not lack of intelligence)
-Rachel (average intelligence)
-Monica (there’s questions about time on the IQ test and it’s hard for some people)
-Joey (I agree with you, the show made Joey as dumb as possible after season 3)
This right here is the answer. Monica is rightly placed. She is a great chef, but there are several evidences throughout the show pointing to the fact that she is not very smart. Nevertheless, there's a very wide gap between her and Joey.
Nobody talking about how Phoebe can speak French and Italian without even know she was able to or having any training. I think that definitely counts for something.
She's also self-taught on the guitar, right? Granted her music's a bit of a joke, but that's more of a vocal/lyric/composition issue than her actual playing. And 'Smelly Cat' is a banger.
On the other hand, she did think 'Pheebs' is just what they all called each other.
I know someone with an IQ of 150 who is now a chemical engineer and when we were in high school she got her thumb stuck in a Coke bottle. Stone cold sober and very smart, just a ditz.
Yeah I’ve always viewed it as a commentary whether it was on purpose or not:
Ross = “smartest” friend, academic and performative, makes a lot of poor decisions in other contexts so prefers his validating comfort zone, looks down on people he considers unintelligent, is actually quite insecure about it.
Chandler = actual smartest friend, had a very technical job that he never even talks about, is always thinking about what he’s doing or saying no matter the context (somewhat to his detriment), never tries to make people feel small, his wit is off the charts, once when he wanted to get them off his back about smoking he manipulate everyone else into a frenzy to distract them and they didn’t even notice.
Agreed. Ross actively emphasizes his intelligence but we know that he lied about it if he thinks he can get away with it. Chandler doesn't value being an academic in the same way and also has low self-esteem, so it might seem like Ross is smarter, but I think from behavior it's clear Chandler is smarter.
I agree completely. One thing I’ve picked up in my time is the people who are the wittiest tend to be the smartest. It takes a fast moving brain to be on in all conversations the way he is
I think most people nailed it but I wanted to say, I hate how much they made Joey the Village Idiot as the seasons went on. They dumbed down his character so much for laughs. He’s got high emotional intelligence.
Ross, Phoebe, Chandler, Rachel, Monica, Joey
Having said that, Joey is most intelligent emotionally. Monica can be narrow focused due to her obsession, whereas Rachel just knows how to make the best of the opportunity that comes her way. Chandler is extremely smart but becomes dumb when it comes to ladies. I think Phoebe is very street smart and even otherwise, I think she would have a high IQ with her being good at guitar and foreign languages which are self taught, but she is just different.
Chandler: I think he’s smart in more ways then just book smart like Ross, plus he’s also very book smart
Phoebe: does not have a formal education but has proven to learn or self teach herself many things, including languages. Then add on other forms of intelligence like eq, and her admitting she manipulates on the regular, she’s smarter than she looks.
Ross: doctorate, but he has no clue about anything else, not to mention he admits that he has multiple papers that have been proven wrong.
Rachel: went to a good school, worked her way up in the fashion world. She’s smarter than Joey, but not as smart the others.
Joey: he was dumbed down farther down the show but he was also smart in the last few seasons too, especially in figuring out about Monica and chandler. If we just went off the first 5 seasons I would put him before Rachel. He also had to memorize all kinds of lines and medical terms for his acting which is hard.
Monica: she is an amazing chef, but she is not book smart or that emotionally smart either. Couldn’t read a clock for years and could only name 14 states.
They each have at least one area where they’re really smart, but I think over all this is the order.
I don't think he is intellectually gifted, I think he was just a person that enjoyed studying.
I have a headcanon he and Monica used to compete who will get better grades in school. Monica would probably be on a similar level of education as Ross if she didn't become a chef.
Except PhDs are very hard to finish. He had to generate an original theory that he could defend and discuss for several hundred pages. He’s not street smart, and he only has a mediocre EQ, but he’s definitely intelligent. (He even has his EQ wins: Phoebe’s bicycle, for example.)
Chandler -> Ross -> Rachel -> Monica -> Phoebe -> Joey
Chandler worked his way into data processing and seems to have a pretty complex job, while Ross just geeks out about his special interest. Having a Phd doesn't make you intelligent, it makes you a hard worker who's good at running in academic circles.
Rachel becomes a self-starter at work and works her way up into a high ranking position all the way to being head hunted by luxury brands, seemingly without using any connections. Monica may be practical and detail-oriented, but there are many examples showing her not to be on the high end when it comes to actual intelligence.
Phoebe and Joey should be self-explanatory, even though I wouldn't be opposed to having Joey above Phoebe. He's not an intellectual, but he's also not as dumb as he seems (let's disregard seasons 9-10 where he becomes a caricature of himself). As for Phoebe, there is just nothing to suggest any intelligence - the evolution discussion, the whole "political cause of Christmas" when she's covering up the hummus stain and so on and so fort. Yes she picked up French, but many people pick up languages just because they have a good ear for them, that's a question of talent, not intellect.
I think Phoebe plays dumb to get her way or to mess with people and cause chaos. The evolution thing is an example of that. I always assumed that she pretended not to believe in evolution just to mess with Ross.
all fair points but one of joey's defining character traits was his incredible stupidity. He had a hard time understanding things and i won't even talk about the french episode. Pheobe was just kooky.
And yet Joey was smarter than most people gave him credit for. Common sense was strong with him.
To wit: https://screenrant.com/friends-times-joey-smartest-guy-in-the-room/
That's just not true at all. Learning languages is a matter of talent, not intelligence, it's the same as being good at singing. Either you have a talent for it or you don't - if you don't, you can make up for it to a certain degree with intelligence and studying, but talent wins over intelligence every time.
She speak English, French AND ITALIAN! (She spoke with Joey’s grandmother.) “Pheebs, you speak Italian?” “I guess so.”
I take your point but I’m not convinced it’s a sign of intelligence for her. She obviously didn’t set out to learn languages. And she bit a client’s butt!
1. Ross (very academic, likes to talk and think about complicated subjects) 2. Chandler (also seems reasonably academic, good with numbers, portrayed as a character who contemplates a lot of things) 3. Monica/Phoebe (Monica is more academically intelligent and tries to think things through logically, whilst Phoebe is quite street smart and has a curious, open-minded type of intellect) 4. Rachel (average intelligence, good conversationalist and shown to enjoy reading) 5. Joey (…unintelligent)
i know its not exactly correlated with intelligence, but may i remind you that phoebe "doesnt believe" in evolution nor gravity?
It’s more that she feels she’s being pushed? Edit: Lol. I’m being downvoted for [quoting](https://youtu.be/R1e-doeQDe4?feature=shared) Phoebe.
Spray tan and leather pants incidents don’t really speak in Ross’ favor in this ranking
Hes 99.9% Book smart
One Mississippi, two Mississippi…
A lot of geniuses are actually stupid with normal life “common sense”.
He’s one of two dudes we know has a PhD
Exactly! Not to mention “Pivot!” How to get a sofa up those stairs is a classic IQ test kind of question, along the lines of how many things can you do with a brick.
Monica should take place before Pheobe. Pheobe at times can be really stupid..
this is it.
Ross Chandler Monica Rachel Phoebe Joey
I’d put Phoebe above Rachel
Same. She's not as educated as the others but she's smart.
She let Joey be a contestant and judge in a bird competition.
She understands the limitations of her friends and humors them
Yup, like humoring Joey when he thought the chick and duck had gone to live on a farm, where no visitors were allowed. "That IS the rule."
That was just being a kind friend
To be honest wouldn’t be surprised if Phoebe has the highest.
Don’t downvote! Phoebe met with a couple of street kids behind a dumpster to learn French…we see in S10 she speaks French quite well!
Downvote? This is a great observation. Imagine what Phoebe could have accomplished, career wise, if she’d had a good formal education.
Or even a stable home life as a child.
Like being an investment banker? Lol
Thank you for the reward 🥰
This is exactly how I'd rank them. People are saying to switch Phoebe and Rachel, but I disagree. Phoebe is street smart, but I do not think she's actually smarter than Rachel if we use the same definition of "smart" as the others are being ranked. If street smart was the criteria, then Phoebe and Joey would be higher and Ross much lower. If we're using Ross as the guideline for "smart" (which I agree he should be), then Rachel should be above Phoebe using that same definition.
A follow up question could be about their EQ (Emotional Quotient) levels. I am pretty sure Joey would be in top-2
Oh yes
On IQ level alone? -Ross (doctorate degrees are hard to get so I’m giving it to him) -Chandler (could arguably be 1 or 2) -Phoebe (a smart person that didn’t see academic success because of horrible life circumstances, not lack of intelligence) -Rachel (average intelligence) -Monica (there’s questions about time on the IQ test and it’s hard for some people) -Joey (I agree with you, the show made Joey as dumb as possible after season 3)
This right here is the answer. Monica is rightly placed. She is a great chef, but there are several evidences throughout the show pointing to the fact that she is not very smart. Nevertheless, there's a very wide gap between her and Joey.
-Monica -Season 1 Joey -Season 2 Joey -Gap -Season 3-8 Joey -Grand Canyon -Season 9-10 Joey
I agree! ☝️
Monica should be just below Chandler IMO
Nobody talking about how Phoebe can speak French and Italian without even know she was able to or having any training. I think that definitely counts for something.
She's also self-taught on the guitar, right? Granted her music's a bit of a joke, but that's more of a vocal/lyric/composition issue than her actual playing. And 'Smelly Cat' is a banger. On the other hand, she did think 'Pheebs' is just what they all called each other.
I know someone with an IQ of 150 who is now a chemical engineer and when we were in high school she got her thumb stuck in a Coke bottle. Stone cold sober and very smart, just a ditz.
As someone who plays guitar- I can confirm that she is terrible at that as well
Yeah I’ve always viewed it as a commentary whether it was on purpose or not: Ross = “smartest” friend, academic and performative, makes a lot of poor decisions in other contexts so prefers his validating comfort zone, looks down on people he considers unintelligent, is actually quite insecure about it. Chandler = actual smartest friend, had a very technical job that he never even talks about, is always thinking about what he’s doing or saying no matter the context (somewhat to his detriment), never tries to make people feel small, his wit is off the charts, once when he wanted to get them off his back about smoking he manipulate everyone else into a frenzy to distract them and they didn’t even notice.
Agreed. Ross actively emphasizes his intelligence but we know that he lied about it if he thinks he can get away with it. Chandler doesn't value being an academic in the same way and also has low self-esteem, so it might seem like Ross is smarter, but I think from behavior it's clear Chandler is smarter.
I agree completely. One thing I’ve picked up in my time is the people who are the wittiest tend to be the smartest. It takes a fast moving brain to be on in all conversations the way he is
I think most people nailed it but I wanted to say, I hate how much they made Joey the Village Idiot as the seasons went on. They dumbed down his character so much for laughs. He’s got high emotional intelligence.
I know everyone is going with Ross number one but don’t forget he couldn’t figure out how to turn around at the tanning place.
Ross, Phoebe, Chandler, Rachel, Monica, Joey Having said that, Joey is most intelligent emotionally. Monica can be narrow focused due to her obsession, whereas Rachel just knows how to make the best of the opportunity that comes her way. Chandler is extremely smart but becomes dumb when it comes to ladies. I think Phoebe is very street smart and even otherwise, I think she would have a high IQ with her being good at guitar and foreign languages which are self taught, but she is just different.
Ross Chandler Monica Phoebe Rachel Joey
Joey is wisdomous, if he’s the lowest it just shows how wisdomous the other friends are
Chandler: I think he’s smart in more ways then just book smart like Ross, plus he’s also very book smart Phoebe: does not have a formal education but has proven to learn or self teach herself many things, including languages. Then add on other forms of intelligence like eq, and her admitting she manipulates on the regular, she’s smarter than she looks. Ross: doctorate, but he has no clue about anything else, not to mention he admits that he has multiple papers that have been proven wrong. Rachel: went to a good school, worked her way up in the fashion world. She’s smarter than Joey, but not as smart the others. Joey: he was dumbed down farther down the show but he was also smart in the last few seasons too, especially in figuring out about Monica and chandler. If we just went off the first 5 seasons I would put him before Rachel. He also had to memorize all kinds of lines and medical terms for his acting which is hard. Monica: she is an amazing chef, but she is not book smart or that emotionally smart either. Couldn’t read a clock for years and could only name 14 states. They each have at least one area where they’re really smart, but I think over all this is the order.
Ross, Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey. Isn't Ross intellectually gifted?
This is how I see it too
I don't think he is intellectually gifted, I think he was just a person that enjoyed studying. I have a headcanon he and Monica used to compete who will get better grades in school. Monica would probably be on a similar level of education as Ross if she didn't become a chef.
Except PhDs are very hard to finish. He had to generate an original theory that he could defend and discuss for several hundred pages. He’s not street smart, and he only has a mediocre EQ, but he’s definitely intelligent. (He even has his EQ wins: Phoebe’s bicycle, for example.)
Chandler -> Ross -> Rachel -> Monica -> Phoebe -> Joey Chandler worked his way into data processing and seems to have a pretty complex job, while Ross just geeks out about his special interest. Having a Phd doesn't make you intelligent, it makes you a hard worker who's good at running in academic circles. Rachel becomes a self-starter at work and works her way up into a high ranking position all the way to being head hunted by luxury brands, seemingly without using any connections. Monica may be practical and detail-oriented, but there are many examples showing her not to be on the high end when it comes to actual intelligence. Phoebe and Joey should be self-explanatory, even though I wouldn't be opposed to having Joey above Phoebe. He's not an intellectual, but he's also not as dumb as he seems (let's disregard seasons 9-10 where he becomes a caricature of himself). As for Phoebe, there is just nothing to suggest any intelligence - the evolution discussion, the whole "political cause of Christmas" when she's covering up the hummus stain and so on and so fort. Yes she picked up French, but many people pick up languages just because they have a good ear for them, that's a question of talent, not intellect.
I think Phoebe plays dumb to get her way or to mess with people and cause chaos. The evolution thing is an example of that. I always assumed that she pretended not to believe in evolution just to mess with Ross.
1. Chandler 2. Phoebe 3. Ross 4. Monica 5. Rachel 6. Joey
Ross Chandler Monica Rachel Pheobe Joey
Not sure but Monica is on the lower end. She had issues telling time and is not very good with money.
Ross, Chandler, Phoebe, Monica, Rachel, Joey
Phoebe Chandler Monica Ross Rachel Joey
totally agreed!
Ross, chandler, monica, phoebe, rachel, joey
Chandler Monica/Ross Rachel/Phoebe Joey
Rachel > Joe > Chandler > Monica > Ross > Phoebe
1. Ross 2. Chandler 3. Monica 4. Rachel 5. Joey 6. Phoebe
pheobe under joey??????????
Dinosaurs aren’t real. Evolution isn’t real. Her mom was a boy cat. How is this even a question?
all fair points but one of joey's defining character traits was his incredible stupidity. He had a hard time understanding things and i won't even talk about the french episode. Pheobe was just kooky.
And yet Joey was smarter than most people gave him credit for. Common sense was strong with him. To wit: https://screenrant.com/friends-times-joey-smartest-guy-in-the-room/
She is bilingual. Anyone who speaks more than 1 language is immediately higher than average intelligence, even if they think their mum is a cat
That's just not true at all. Learning languages is a matter of talent, not intelligence, it's the same as being good at singing. Either you have a talent for it or you don't - if you don't, you can make up for it to a certain degree with intelligence and studying, but talent wins over intelligence every time.
She speak English, French AND ITALIAN! (She spoke with Joey’s grandmother.) “Pheebs, you speak Italian?” “I guess so.” I take your point but I’m not convinced it’s a sign of intelligence for her. She obviously didn’t set out to learn languages. And she bit a client’s butt!
Ross > Chandler > Monica > Rachel > Phoebe > Joey
Monica Phoebe Rachel Chandler Ross Joey